Team 99

Notebook: Spike Albrecht, John Beilein discuss future at banquet

Spike Albrecht provided an update on his health after undergoing hip surgery, John Beilein discussed Michigan’s scholarship situation, Duncan Robinson will attend Camp Sanderson and Albrecht was named best-dressed at Michigan’s banquet on Wednesday evening.

Spike Albrecht won numerous awards Wednesday night during Michigan’s annual awards banquet, but the junior didn’t walk on stage to give a speech or even stand for recognition.

The guard, who underwent right hip surgery on April 8, spent most of the evening seated, or hobbling around the Crisler Center floor with a brace providing support to his midsection and leg.

“I’m feeling really good right now,” he said. “I’m able to get up a little bit on my own, crutch around. I was in bed forever, it felt like.”

Albrecht explained how doctors made three incisions during the operation. The first allowed them to shave bone to ensure his hip and leg connected together properly; the second was to fix a torn labrum; and the third was to repair a fracture. The entire procedure took about two hours and went according to plan, per the guard.

“A square peg in a round hole, or something like that,” he said.

Albrecht hasn’t scheduled the operation on his left hip yet, though he knows he may need it. If recommended, the second surgery would likely occur in early May.

“If John [DoRosario] and the doctors think we should do the left, I’ll definitely do it,” he said.

Initially given a four-to-five month recovery period, the guard said he hopes to be back by the end of September or early October.

“I have no idea if that’s the real timetable,” Albrecht said. “Everyone’s different. That’s what they told me.”

In the meantime, Albrecht said he has been receiving advice from Max Bielfeldt, who underwent a similar procedure and was sidelined for most of last summer.

“Max was the guinea pig,” Albrecht said, laughing. “I wasn’t ready to go do it myself. I wanted to see how he’d recover and all that.”

Beilein explains scholarship situation

Depending on Caris LeVert’s future plans, the Wolverines’ 2015-16 roster could look a lot different than it does now.

Michigan has no available scholarships, but Beilein is on the recruiting trail anyway in case the junior goes pro and frees a spot. The coach admitted the situation has left him in somewhat of a bind, but he isn’t too worried about it.

“It always works itself out,” Beilein said. “You go and you try to look at what you have and just say, ‘OK. Time will pass and we’ll have an answer.’ We’ll have the best answer you can get. Still, you have to think what’s best for the student-athlete. What’s best for Caris right now is to wait as long as we can to get him the most information.”

This weekend, Beilein will visit four-star prospect Kenny Williams in Virginia, and five-star forward Jaylen Brown is also considering Michigan. The coach also wouldn’t eliminate the possibility of Bielfeldt returning for a fifth year.

“There’s several wheels spinning,” Beilein said. “Where that all stops has yet to be determined.”

Bielfeldt gives heartfelt address

Despite the attention given to LeVert and Albrecht, Wednesday’s ceremony was also a celebration of Bielfeldt’s four years in Ann Arbor.

Michigan’s lone senior delivered a heartfelt speech to the audience focusing on how much the program has changed since his arrival.

“It’s just me in the class of 2015 now,” he said. “Back in the day, we were practicing in the IM building because this was getting built. We were lifting down at wrestling on State Street. I’m just so grateful for this to be built, and the PDC [Player Development Center] and everything that’s happened here. It’s just been so incredible.

“… It’s been a heck of a run. It’s just been so much fun to be a part of these teams.”

After a career marred by injuries, Bielfeldt said it felt “unbelievable” to be fully healthy and earn so much playing time this winter. The senior spoke of the adversity Michigan faced, as well as the growth he saw from the freshmen and sophomores.

“It’s going to be one heck of a team next year,” he said.

The graduate senior didn’t rule out a potential return to Michigan either.

“Right now I’m waiting to see if there’s an offer here (at U-M) next year,” Bielfeldt told MLive. “I have been talking to schools all over and just kind of figuring out what’s out there for me, who wants me and what the situations are.”

 

Duncan Robinson joining Camp Sanderson

Jon Sanderson’s summer program will be a little more crowded than previously anticipated.

Duncan Robinson confirmed that he’ll stay in Ann Arbor during spring and summer terms to work with the Wolverines’ strength and conditioning coach.

He’ll join the nearly the entire the freshman class — Ricky Doyle, Mark Donnal, Aubrey Dawkins, Kam Chatman, DJ Wilson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman have all said they’re committing to a summer in the weight room.

Beilein said Robinson spent all winter burying three-pointers over the Wolverines in practice — he also topped Nik Stauskas’ record in a drill — but the Williams College transfer will have some stiff competition before being named the team’s best shooter from deep.

According to assistant coach LaVall Jordan, Aubrey Dawkins made 23 of 26 three-pointers in a drill Tuesday afternoon.

Team delivers mock honors

Zak Irvin and Albrecht may have split MVP honors, but only the junior won what Beilein called one of the team’s most coveted awards: The Wolverines voted Albrecht the best-dressed player.

“I may have voted for myself,” Albrecht later joked.

Among the other recipients of the superlatives were Austin Hatch (most generous, most likely to succeed), DJ Wilson (most likely to get married) and Kam Chatman (best dancer, talks the most and knows the least).

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